Automobile accessory



22, 1925.l 1,554,969 F. HENKE AUTOMOBILE ACCESSORY Filed Dec. 9, 1924 Patented Sept. 22, 1925,

iastate- UNITED STATES mannen-IGK Hnivxn, or rniLannrri-tra, nnnnsrnvanra, assis-Non To rox Auro- MOTIVE PRODUCTS CURPOEATICN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR- '.PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMOBILE ACCESSORY.

Appueatien inea December 9,1924. semaine. 754,781.

To all whom t may concern.'

- Be it known that I, FREDERICK I-InNKn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automobile Accessories, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings.

The form of my invention hereinafter` described was designed to be appartenant to the accelerator pedal `and pedal rod of an automobile. As ordinarily constructed; such a rod etxends through a drilled hole in the wooden floor of the car, which is upwardly inclined in front of the chauffeurs seat, and said rod is normally upheld with its circular pedal top a few inches above said floor by means of a spring beneath the latter. It is usual to cover such floor with a carpet through which said rod, of course, extends. As such carpets are removable and, consequently, only loosely fitted in the car, it frequently happens that the carpet bears upon said rod so as to arrest or retard the movement of the latter and thus prevent the intended opera-tion thereof. For instance, an operator `may release said pedal from a position to which it has been depressed to' accelerate the movement of the car, and with the expectation that it will be automatically uplifted by said spring to check the speed of the car, only to find that the friction of the carpet against the rod maintains the.

- adapted to be a fixture upon the floor of the.

car andhaving, in one of its ends, a bearing for said rod; whereby, said rod is, of course, continuously maintained in a certain position with reference to said bracket. upwardly projecting portion of said bracket is so constructed and arranged as to fit The i closely within a metallic plate, which `also has an opening through which said rod may slip freely, and said plate is provided with means, conveniently including a plurality o-f bendable tabs, whereby it may be permanently attached to the carpet; to hold the latter in relatively stationary, but removable, relation with said bracket floor fixture. Such devices not only preventA the carpet from interfering with the operation of` the accelerator mechanism, but afford neat, eicient and durable means for binding and reinforcing the carpet where it fits said rod and foot rest, at less cost than the ordinary leather or oil cloth binding means.

My invention includes the various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified.

In said drawings; Fig. I is a fragmentary plan view of a. carpet and floor including a convenient embodiment of my invention.

Fig. II is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line II, II in Fig. I. f

Fig. III is an elevation of theleft hand end of said carpet plate, as located in Fig.` I, but in the position in which they extend before attachment of said plate to the carpet.

Fig. IV is a right hand end elevation of said carpet plate with its tabs in their initial position aforesaid. v

Fig. V is a right hand elevation of said foot rest bracket.

In said figure; the car lioor l is provided with the foot rest bracket 2 which is rigidly connected therewith, conveniently by flat headed screws 3 and l extending through openings in the bracket floor flanges 6 and 7 Said iiange 6 has the circular hole 8 extending therethrough and forming a bearingV through which the vertically extending accelerator rod 9 may slip freely in either direction. Said rod is provided with the circular pedal top 10, normally upheld above the top of said bracket 2 by a spring connected with said rod beneath said floor 1, but not shown. I prefer to form the top of said bracket in steps 11 of different 'thecarpet plate'l; sofas to hold theacceler- 4vator rod bearing 14 in. said-plate in registry with the bearing 8 in said bracket. Said floor plate 13 has the flange 15 extending around said opening l2, With beii'dabletabs 16 thus adapted tobind thecorresponding rectangular opening v'in the vcarpet 18. The`A vouter .edge of .said carpet Plate l 13v is pirov. vided with a flange 19` which reinforces it. andbearsupon `said carpet` and hasa series *i 'ofsharp. pointed tabs 20, ,which aredrivenk ,.tlirough the carpet and clinched beneath :the latter, as indicated, .to secure said .plate Y A on saidcarpet.

prefer to. further,stiffen andv incidentally lornament said floor plate 13V by formging a depression 21, in the top thereof.

.y indicated,saidfioor platev may be convenientf lyformed as-asheet metal stampingand is preferably-formel protective coating such as nickel-plate or of, steel provided with a enamel;y the latter 'beingav'ailable incolorsl to inatchcarpeta etmay be conveniently formed of a stock steel'barlcut andbent tol tlieconfiguration shown..l '.I-IoWever,A it is 4to Ybe understood that said carpet plate ,andbracket may be other- "'Wise.. formed. .For instance, they` constructed ofV cast,-l inetal and, if thus formed, the corners of the-openingl may berounded to fit.acorrespzondingly curved y. i.. Y, 1

fportionvof thebracket 2.

A ..7fI`herefore, it'is to understood .that I do not desineto limitinyselfto tlieprecise` strip of ine-tal, and comprising al details of construction and arrangement herein set forth, as itis obviousthat various Ofi my invention', as defined in the,appendedclaims vI claim:

1. In anautomobile accessory, `nation yWith a ,foot rest, for med the` combi- -OJ a floor ange having ai bearing for anafcceierator .rod and .means for connecting it-With a floor, anda y stepped portion projecting ,above isaid floor, .i said stepped portion being vof` rectangular Cerfs'iu'aton; in Plan; -0f anla-rmt reinforf I f-,ing plate .having a 'rect'ai`igu lar opening adapted to `fit over said projecting y.,portion, and `having a bearing for said rod arranged to,.-register`x 'wit h the' bearing in said footfrest, and means for connecting said f plateivvith ancarpet, including tabs at the.

'Il Louter edge ofsail plate andat the ,margin of" said opening therein; the outer edge tabs being pointed, and the inner edge tabs being -As indicated; said brackrounded at their ends; said plate being formed of stamped sheet metal, having reinforcing flanges respectively at its perinieter and at the margin of said opening therein, and having a reinforcing depression therein between said opening and said bearing.

2. In ank automobile accessory, the conibination With `a foot rest, formed .of abent stripof metal, and comprisingrafioor flange having...a,bearing'for an acceleratorprod and Vmeans for connecting it with a floor, and a portion projecting above said floor; of a A carpet reinforcing `plate having an opening adapted'to'fitoversaid projecting foot rest portion, and yhaving a bearing kfor saidY rod arranged to register with the bearing 'in said foot rest, fand..means" forz connecting said lplate with a carpet, including tabs at the 'outer. edge .of'saidlplate and atthe margin of sai/d opening therein; the outer edge tabs I being pointed attheir ends; "said plate being 'y formed, of stamped sheet metal, having reinforcing iianges respectively at its perimeter v and at the margin of said opening therein. a f3; In an'automobile accessory, the comx binationwith ametal foot rest,- comprising j a floor flange havinga bearing for an'a'ccellerator rod and means forfconnectin'g it -With floor,`and a portion projecting 'above said floor; of a-carpet'rein'forcing plateliaving an opening'adapted tojfit lover said projectingfoot rest portion, and having-a bearing `for said rody arranged to Aregister With'the bearing in said foot rest, and inea-ns'for conmay be, necting said plate with a. carpet, including 4. In an automobilel accessory, the combination with "aime'tal foot rest, having a. bear- .,ing for an accelerator rod an il` fmeans for connecting it Witha floor; of'a carpetreinforcingfplate having an' opening adapted to I fit' over` saidffootrest, andv having a bearing `bearing in said foot, rest, vandineans for, connecting vsaid plate with a carpet.

` k5; ,In automobile accessory, the combi- ,nationA with a metal footrestkliaving means adaptedfto'fit over said foot rest, and having a bearing for an acceleratorfrod.

` 7. An autoniobile'accessory, including a .floor `covering reinforcing met-al plate ;4 having means,- inclu'ding tabs, arranged to be clinched through such covering to connect ,inodications may loe-'made therein Withoutk for Isaid' rodarranged to register with the 110 departing from the essential'features -bent' for connecting it'rvvitli a floor", of a carpet 115 it therewith, 4 and havinga slide bearing for 130 an accelerator rod.

8. An automobile accessory, including a having means adapted to engage a flexible metal reinforcing plate having means adaptfloor covering. l ed to attach it to a flexible floor covering, In testimony whereof( I have `hereunto 19 and having a slide bearing for a rod. signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsyl- 5 9. An automobile accessory, including a Vania, this 18th day of November, 1924.

metal foot rest, and a metal plate having means adapted to engage said foot rest, and FREDERICK HENKE. 

